Souderton senior wins Pa. high jump

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Kristin Smith gently placed her feet on top of the awards podium. Her wide smile lit up Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium.

The constant hours of practice paid off yesterday for the Souderton senior.

Smith had just won the PIAA Class AAA girls' high jump with a personal-best height of 5 feet, 9 inches.

"I put in so much," said the 17-year-old, clutching her sparkling gold medal. "And just to think I just came out [for the high jump] in the 10th grade.

"I started out just for fun. And to go out and win a state championship is excellent."

Smith wasn't alone in the excellence category.

She was one of three state champions from Southeastern Pennsylvania on the first day of the two-day meet.

West Chester Henderson's Shante Evans won the Class AAA girls' shot put, and Phoenixville's Courtney Kedra claimed the Class AAA girls' long jump.

Smith clinched her victory when Stroudsburg's Natasha McLaren slipped on her final attempt at 5-8. Smith cleared that height on her first attempt. The two were the only competitors remaining.

The Indians' standout then cleared 5-9 on her second attempt before missing three attempts at 5-11.

McLaren was second with at 5-7. Upper Dublin's Taylor Morgan was third at 5-6.

"I made states for the first time last year and finished fourth," said Smith, a Naval Academy recruit. "It's really nice that I could come back and get a gold medal."

It didn't take long to realize Evans would also get a gold medal.

The senior's shot put victory was never in doubt. She recorded the six best throws of yesterday's competition, and her winning heave of 43-4 was way ahead of the 39-91/2 effort posted Cheltenham's Dayna McCrewell, the runner-up.

The victory enabled Evans to win state shot put titles at different schools. She claimed the Class AA title two seasons ago while at Bayard Rustin. After moving back into the Henderson area, she chose not to compete last season to focus on AAU basketball.

Evans came back to track and field for one reason.

"I wanted to be a Class AAA state champion," the Hofstra University basketball signee said. "It feels good" to get it.

While Evans won by large margin, Kedra squeaked out her title.

The junior prevailed in the long jump with a jump of 18-93/4. Cheltenham's Brittany Howell was second in 18-91/2. Penncrest's Lauren Tusar, at 18-91/4, rounded out the top three.

"I was lucky," said Kedra, whose personal-best jump is 19-51/2. "I feel like I could have jumped a lot better."

At least, she still walked away with a gold medal. Methacton's Carlton Lavong didn't.

The junior was heavily favored to win yesterday's Class AAA boys' triple jump. He went into the meet with a state-best 49-21/2.

The 47-81/2 posted by Muhlenberg's Tyrell Ellison was the classification's second-best jump coming in. Ellison, however, won the event in 49-03/4, while Lavong finished third at 48-51/4.

His disappointing effort created some controversy, too. Lavong thought the officials gave him the wrong mark on his final jump.

"I'm not even going to talk about that," he said of his best mark. "I got that one in the 50s."

Lavong's hand, however, appeared to touch the sand before he landed. The officials marked where his hand touched, not where his body landed. According to the rules, a jumper is marked at the shortest spot left in the pit.

"I didn't look at a tape, but I didn't see a hand touch," said Lavong, who is favored in today's Class AAA boys' long jump.

Lavong's brother and teammate, Wes Lavong, and Abington's Chris Morales also had disappointing performances.

Morales was the pre-meet favorite to win the Class AAA boys' 400 meters. The senior, failed, however, to qualify for today's final.

Morales said he injured his hamstring while running the ninth-best time of 48.64 seconds in yesterday's trials. Hatboro-Horsham's Colin Demspter ran the eighth and final qualifying time of 48.63.

Wes Lavong fouled on all three of his preliminary attempts in the Class AAA boys' discus. He was expected to medal in the event.

In another event, Church Farm School's Nana Atakora-Bediako was second, at 45-5, in the Class AA boys' triple jump. Kennett's Blake Davenport was third in the Class AAA boys' discus at 161-11.

The meet continues this morning.